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A bit off topic but any Air Show Junkies here?

I have to admit that's something to consider when spectators are allowed on the water in what otherwise would be an open space. Are they allowed to be closer than spectators on the ground would be if it was say open farmland etc? I have attended that air show but that was in my early teens which was a very long time ago.

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As far as I know, the "Boat line" is 1 mile from the shoreline. The performance takes place inside an airspace whose dimensions form a "Box" between the two spectator lines, but I am not sure of the dimensions of the show box for the Toronto show. If you look carefully, since there is no runway to line up on like at an airport, they have some buoys to mark the show line. This is fine for slower (prop driven) acts but does not work for fast air. For fast air, they don't mark a show line, per se, but they have a fire boat turn on all of its hoses to mark centre stage.

Anything that I say in this forum is purely my opinion. Take it with the proverbial grain of salt and do not take it as an absolute fact.

OK Thanks. I understand the "show box" concept & I think the Red Arrows performed further away from us than the Snowbirds do which makes me suspect they were using Europe's safety guidelines. I believe their guidelines require almost double the distance between the crowd & performance box.

A skill is developed through constant practice with a passion to improve, not bought.

OK Thanks. I understand the "show box" concept & I think the Red Arrows performed further away from us than the Snowbirds do which makes me suspect they were using Europe's safety guidelines. I believe their guidelines require almost double the distance between the crowd & performance box.

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That could be a result of the Ramstein crash. At one time, the Europeans could fly unbelievably low and close. (When the "Frecce Tricolori" from Italy first flew their demonstration (many years ago) for NAV Canada approval, they actually made their appearance over the North Bay Airport by flying the entire formation between two hangars.) Their entrance had to be changed, but the rest of their routine was approved. That year, the North Bay Airshow was the first ever to have the Snowbirds, the Frecci Tricolori and the Patouille de France all at the same show.

Yup, Ramstien changed every airshow worldwide. Box is now huge at most airshows. Limited pitch and roll depending on box. No more coming at the audience through the box. The box is hug now. I/we used to sit right downdown Chicago out on the boat and have jets coming at us turning and burning at very high rates of speed. When I saw the Ramstien footage back in the day I knew it would rules would change.
The Reno P-51 accident was horrible as well.
Aviation is my life, but I hope I never see a crash.

Yup, Ramstien changed every airshow worldwide. Box is now huge at most airshows. Limited pitch and roll depending on box. No more coming at the audience through the box. The box is hug now. I/we used to sit right downdown Chicago out on the boat and have jets coming at us turning and burning at very high rates of speed. When I saw the Ramstien footage back in the day I knew it would rules would change.
The Reno P-51 accident was horrible as well.
Aviation is my life, but I hope I never see a crash.

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I was at the 1989 Toronto show when the Snowbirds had their mid-air (see post 29). I actually watched (and videotaped) my friend's death. In fact, I had an unobstructed view and my video was turned over to the Flight Safety Investigators for their analysis. You are right. It is something that you never want to see.

Anything that I say in this forum is purely my opinion. Take it with the proverbial grain of salt and do not take it as an absolute fact.

Unfortunately I watched a fatal crash when I was 8-10 years old. It was at the annual Air Force Day event at Greenwood & they had a balloon busting competition with 2 biplanes competing. One stalled when coming at the balloon from below it and then crashed very hard. I also had the experience of arriving home after being kept in school all day to find my father who was very shook up explaining how he had been bumped at the last minute from the crew of a Lancaster that crashed very close to our school. Another airman needed 20 more minutes of flight time to get his monthly flight pay & my father volunteered or was asked to swap places. The plane crashed shortly after take off & exploded. No one survived.

A skill is developed through constant practice with a passion to improve, not bought.

I overdid attending airshows while in the USAF and Air Nat'l Guard. In fact, I probably worked on the F-15 in @Hoag picture in post #18 as I used to be in that unit. The TFS was on a US NAS so almost annually we saw the Blue Angels and plenty of guest performers including our guys.

But this is the Cozumel forum so I thought I might post a picture taken from my SCC room balcony a few years ago. This guy buzzed my window a few times.

Thank you to all who make this wonderful resource available, and to all the thoughtful contributors.